Meet a member: Interserve’s Tony Bellamy

Tony Bellamy MCIOB is senior site manager at Interserve and became chair of the Newcastle HUB in January.

How did you get into construction and why?

I actually stumbled upon working in construction by chance. I was working in the leisure industry at the age of 18 when I was reluctantly paid off due to staffing cuts. This was back in 1988 and at the time my father was working for RM Douglas (which later became Tilbury Douglas, followed by the name we all know these days, Interserve Construction) and they were looking for apprentice joiners. He asked if I was interested in this position.

It didn’t take me long to accept this offer and for 18 months I learnt my trade to become a time served joiner and in January 1990 I was fully qualified. It was the best decision I could have made.

What change would you like to see in construction?

On a personal note and something I believe in is we need to bring more trade apprentices through, men and women. We have a lot of personnel coming up to retirement age that need to be replaced with the younger generation.

If we can get this generation in now, they can learn from the personnel before they retire. For the past two years I have worked closely with the Newcastle Novus Group and we have toured and carried out talks at schools and colleges throughout the North East, encouraging the younger generation to consider construction as a career.

Why have you become involved with the CIOB locally?

I have been involved locally with the CIOB for the past four years. I first joined what was the Durham and Wearside Committee through a colleague and did this for two years. I mainly helped out on the CIOB/NOVUS Student Challenge, which is very popular and successful within the North East.

When it became the One CIOB, I sent my application off to join the Newcastle Hub, which was to cater for the whole of the North East of England.

I was fortunate to have my application approved and immediately put my nomination forward to become vice chair. I was lucky enough to be voted in by my fellow committee members and held this role for two years.

I became involved with my Hub because I wanted to contribute and help make a difference to North East construction. This industry has given me so much and has been my life for the last 30-plus years, so giving something back is the right thing to do.

Where would you like to see your career progressing? Ambitions?

I am now in my 30th year working for Interserve and they have trained me and looked after me from being that apprentice joiner, up to my current position of senior site manager. I am very ambitious and moving up the ladder is something I am always striving for.

As well as looking at my future with Interserve, I will always be on hand to help and work with the CIOB in whatever capacity I can, once my two years as chair is completed.

How do you spend your spare time?

I have a daughter who is at Middlesex University studying Fashion and Textiles and a 15 year-old son in his last year a school. They both keep me busy and on my toes, especially my son who is a very talented runner for his age.

He is the current U17 men’s 1,500m England Champion and finished 2018, ranked number 10 in the country for this distance. He runs throughout the country, so as you may have guessed, I am his taxi driver and take him here, there and everywhere.

When I do get a bit of spare time for myself, I am a bit of film buff and enjoy watching many genres of films.